Bransome Burbridge's WWII medals hope to raise $182,000

The family of WWII RAF pilot Bransome Burbridge is to auction his medals on March 26 in London to fund his care, the BBC has reported.

The medals of Joseph Stenhouse (pictured) were sold at auction for $48,667 in September 2012

The medals are hoped to raise up to 120,000 ($182,000) and will be sold alongside the hero's logbook, leather flying jacket and other items from his military service. Burbridge, now 92, has Alzheimer's disease and his family has been unable to meet the costs of his care.

The medal group includes Burbridge's Distinguished Service Order and Distinguished Flying Cross, which were awarded after he brought down 21 enemy aircraft during the war, including four in a single action. He is noted as one of the most prolific night-fighters of the second world war.

Despite this, Burbridge is reported to have registered as a conscientious objector and always aimed for the wings of his opponents to ensure the best chance of survival. Following the war, he enrolled at Oxford University, where he studied theology.

The decision to sell the medals was a reluctant one, according to his son, Paul, who told the BBC: "There is an appropriateness about the sale taking place while he is still alive, as it will be of immediate benefit to the person whose bravery and commitment earned these decorations in the first place."

The remarkable feats of soldiers during the second world war are often honoured with strong saleprices. In September 2012, the medal set of Joseph Stenhouse, an Antarctic explorer, sold for $48,667.